Like in any other industry at this point, technology is having a big impact on pharma. We left behind the days when drug discovery and development relied only on traditional lab methods and clinical trials. Now advanced tech is reshaping the landscape, from how we discover new medicines to how we manufacture them to how they are delivered to patients. Today, let’s explore how exactly these technologies are influencing the pharmaceutical industry.
5 technologies that are reshaping the pharmaceutical industry:
1. Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning
AI and ML are bringing major changes to the pharmaceutical industry. First, thanks to the AI’s ability to process vast amounts of data quickly, this technology is extremely valuable in drug discovery and development. It can look through millions of compounds much faster than humans can. This helps researchers find possible new medicines quickly. On top of this, AI can also predict how these compounds might work in the body, saving time on early tests.
When it comes to clinical trials, AI brings value here too. It uses predictive analytics to determine which patients might respond best to a new drug. This helps pharma companies choose the right people for their trials, making the whole process faster and more likely to succeed. AI can also spot patterns in trial data that human specialists might miss, helping to catch potential issues early.
Artificial intelligence is also bringing us closer to personalized treatments. By looking at a patient’s genetic information, medical history, and other data, AI can help doctors choose the best medicine for each person. This means treatments that work better and have fewer side effects.
But that’s not all, AI is helping pharma companies with content production and marketing activities. This makes spreading awareness about the products to patients and doctors more efficient and compliant. On the Viseven website, there are a lot of case studies on how AI is helping pharma handle content: from speeding up Medical, Legal, and Regulatory review by flagging potential issues in content before submission, to organizing pharma’s sea of content with AI-powered auto-tagging.
2. 3D Bioprinting
In 2024, the global 3D bioprinting market was valued at $1.3 billion, and is expected to reach $2.4 billion by 2029. And it’s not surprising, seeing that this technology is changing the way we make medicine. It combines 3D printing technology with living cells to create new ways of developing drugs and treating patients.
This technology lets scientists print tiny versions of human organs for testing new drugs. These “mini organs” work more like real human bodies than older testing methods. This helps researchers understand how new medicines might work in people, making drug testing safer and cheaper.
Moreover, 3D bioprinting can help make medicine more personalized. Scientists might use a patient’s own cells to print tissues for testing drugs. This could lead to treatments that work better for each individual person.
What’s promising is the future of 3D bioprinting where it can even help make whole organs for transplants. While this is still a new idea, it would solve a big problem of not having enough donor organs.
3. Robotics
Robotics are making a big impact on the pharmaceutical industry — in 2024, the global medical service robotics market made $11.2 billion. In drug factories, they are now a key helper, working tirelessly around the clock, perfectly mixing ingredients, and filling bottles and packages with the precise dosage of medicine.
Perhaps most importantly, robots maintain a very clean environment which is crucial in drug production, because it reduces the risk of contamination.
Quality control is another aspect robotics helps with. Advanced sensors and high-resolution cameras allow for quick and thorough inspections that far surpass human capabilities. Such scrutiny helps in identifying and rectifying issues fast, making sure that only high-quality medicine reaches patients.
The impact of robotics extends further, beyond the factory floor, and into the operating rooms. Surgical robots can navigate the complexities of the human body with exceptional accuracy, delivering medications to an exact spot they’re needed in. This is particularly valuable in treating brain disorders or cancer. By injecting drugs directly into the target site, robotic surgery might significantly improve the effectiveness of treatment while reducing side effects. This is also due to the robots’ ability to make little incisions which translates to less trauma and faster recovery for a patient.
4. Virtual and Augmented Reality
VR and AR are also making inroads in the pharmaceutical industry, mainly in drug development. Scientists can use VR to look at molecules in 3D. This helps them understand how drugs work in the body better than looking at flat images on a computer screen. It’s like they can walk around inside a molecule and see how it fits with other parts of the body.
In addition, AR can be used to display the interactions between drugs and target structures at a molecular level. This gives us information about the effectiveness and safety of medications. Through AR simulations, scientists can evaluate potential medications in a digital setting, decreasing the need for animal testing and human clinical trials.
5. Internet of Things
Sensors can give us a lot of data on how manufacturing equipment is performing. However, this data was previously very pricey to collect and difficult to store and analyze, so only factors of high importance were measured. IoT technology is changing that.
By monitoring machine parameters such as temperature, pressure, flow rates, vibration, and motor current, IoT sensors can paint a picture of how equipment is working. Analytics software can read this data and detect changes that might indicate wear or fatigue and suggest scheduling maintenance. Consequently, this reduces downtime and production interactions, as well as extending the lifespan of equipment.
Pharma plants are highly capital-intensive, housing numerous machines and equipment. IoT integration in these facilities helps to enhance equipment management by maintaining comprehensive histories for each asset. Such detailed tracking allows for making informed decisions about maintenance, upgrades, and replacements. As a result, this also extends the lifespan of machines and improves overall operational efficiency.
Final Thoughts
As we proved along the way, these five technologies are really shaking up the pharmaceutical industry. They are making drug discovery, development, and manufacturing, faster, safer, and more precise. For us as for patients these advancements mean that soon we’ll see even more effective treatments, fewer side effects, and a more tailored approach to healthcare.
